White House K10 - a story of regeneration

[Bazbro_imp]

I bought my 2018 EX in February, 2019. It had been slightly damaged in an accident within a week or so of purchase. As I was repairing it, I was extremely concerned at the amount of rust I was finding, in places where quite frankly, there should NEVER be any rust and certainly not on a Honda.

See my thread on the handlebar replacement (rust in the wingmirror mount)... http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=14415

Or the rust on the grabrail and in the rear mudguard... [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=14254&page=6]http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread....254&page=6

Remember, this is on a 'bike that was barely six months and 160 miles old!!

An added problem for riders in the UK is the rotten weather at all times of the year and the large quantities of salt strewn on the road when ice threatens. Even so, this partucular 'bike had not been subject to this.
So beware of rust...

Bazbro: I have read much of the same from your Honda Africa Twin UK brethren. They simply can't believe an ADV bike rust rotting so quickly. They appear torn blaming the UK climate and Honda cheapening on materials. On the flip-side, south western state 'mericans as questioning, "Rust? What's that?" (maybe Cormanus too). One would think that Honda United Kingdom would get Hondas specially conditioned to resist the rather damp environment.

Bazbro: I have read much of the same from your Honda Africa Twin UK brethren. They simply can't believe an ADV bike rust rotting so quickly. They appear torn blaming the UK climate and Honda cheapening on materials. On the flip-side, south western state 'mericans as questioning, "Rust? What's that?" (maybe Cormanus too). One would think that Honda United Kingdom would get Hondas specially conditioned to resist the rather damp environment.
That's very interesting, GO. Maybe BMW's fare better in this respect, because of much less chrome and more anodised alloy/protected parts? Then the comparisons between BMW GSs and Africa Twins might become quite stark. Imagine an owner abusing his GS for a year or two, with minimal apparent corrosion, then doing the same with a much worse-protected Africa Twin...
It is the market that Honda is serving which is the decider, I think... the USA market, with its' better weather, is vastly larger than the UK, even European, market and as thickly applied chrome isn't necessary in Arizona, that's what the market decides.

But it was the rapidity of the rust formation on mine that startled me, it was far beyond what I considered 'reasonable'. I am now on the lookout for rust in little nooks and crannies where I wouldn't be looking normally. I urge others to guard against corrosion, because modern Hondas are clearly not as good in this respect as they once were.